Washington — USDA on Aug 1 declared another 218 counties in 12 states as primary disaster areas due to worsening drought, bringing the total number of disaster declarations so far this year to 1,584 counties in 32 states – more than half of all U.S. counties. Wednesday’s announcement included counties in Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wyoming. In addition, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack on Aug. 2 announced that some 3.8 million acres of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) land will be opened up to farmers and ranchers to use for haying and grazing. “The assistance announced today will help U.S. livestock producers dealing with climbing feed prices, critical shortages of hay and deteriorating pasturelands,” he said. Vilsack also said crop insurers have agreed to provide cash-strapped farmers a penalty-free, 30-day grace period on premiums in 2012.
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